Education:
49%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
36%
Less than a High School Diploma
Manicurist or Pedicurist
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Job Outlook:
Much faster than average
Education:
Postsecondary nondegree award
Salary
High:
$45,180.00
Average:
$33,560.00
Hourly
Average:
$16.14
What they do:
Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.
On the job, you would:
- Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
- Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
- Maintain supply inventories and records of client services.
Important Qualities
Business skills. Manicurists and pedicurist who run their own nail salon must understand business principles. For example, they should be skilled at administrative tasks, such as accounting, and be able to manage a salon and its personnel efficiently and profitably.
Creativity. Manicurists and pedicurists must be able to neatly finish small, intricate nail designs, as well as to suggest designs and match them to individual tastes.
Customer-service skills. Manicurists and pedicurists must have good listening and interpersonal skills to meet clients' needs. Interacting with clients while doing a manicure or pedicure encourages repeat business.
Dexterity. A steady hand is essential in achieving precise nail design. In addition, because manicurists and pedicurists often use sharp tools, they must have good finger dexterity.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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71% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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70% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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68% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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66% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
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78% | Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services. | |
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67% | Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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83% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Assess skin or hair conditions.
Administer therapeutic massages.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Clean tools or equipment.
Schedule appointments.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Provide medical or cosmetic advice for clients.
Maintain client information or service records.
Maintain supply or equipment inventories.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Sell products or services.
Promote products, services, or programs.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
Treat nails by shaping, decorating, or augmenting.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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91% | Exposed to Contaminants - How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)? | |
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90% | Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? | |
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89% | Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions? | |
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88% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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79% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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76% | Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting? | |
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76% | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? | |
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73% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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71% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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70% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? |
What Manicurists and Pedicurists Do
Manicurists and pedicurists polish or buff nails.
Manicurists and pedicurists clean, shape, and beautify fingernails and toenails.
Duties
Manicurists and pedicurists typically do the following:
- Discuss nail treatments and services available
- Remove clients' nail polish, if any
- Clean, trim, and file nails
- Soften calluses and remove rough skin
- Massage and moisturize hands (for a manicure) and feet (for a pedicure)
- Polish or buff nails
- Apply or remove artificial nails and nail art
- Advise clients about nail and skin care for hands and feet
- Clean and disinfect their work area and tools
Manicurists and pedicurists, sometimes called nail technicians, work exclusively on the hands and feet to groom fingernails and toenails. A typical service involves soaking the clients’ hands or feet to soften the skin in order to remove dead skin cells and artificial nails. Manicurists and pedicurists apply lotion to the hands and feet to moisturize the skin. They also may shape and apply polish to natural fingernails or toenails or apply and decorate artificial fingernails.
Manicurists and pedicurists use equipment that includes nail clippers, nail files, and cuticle tools. They must be focused while they perform their duties, because most of the tools they use are sharp. They keep their tools clean and sanitary and follow health regulations to protect consumer safety.
Some manicurists and pedicurists operate their own nail salon, which requires performing business tasks such as keeping inventory and ordering supplies. They also hire and supervise workers and may sell nail care products, such as nail polish and hand or foot cream.
Work Environment
Manicurists and pedicurists held about 196,900 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of manicurists and pedicurists were as follows:
| Personal care services | 70% |
| Self-employed workers | 29 |
Manicurists and pedicurists usually work in a nail salon, spa, or hair salon. The job involves a lot of sitting. A small number of manicurists and pedicurists make house calls, traveling to their clients' locations to provide mobile services. However, mobile services may not be widely available.
Manicurists and pedicurists use chemicals when working on fingernails and toenails, so they often wear protective clothing such as gloves and masks.
Work Schedules
Most manicurists and pedicurists work full time, although part-time work is common. Schedules may vary and often include evenings and weekends. Some manicurists and pedicurists work more than 40 hours per week. Self-employed workers often set their own schedules.
Getting Started
How to Become a Manicurist or Pedicurist
Manicurists and pedicurists must pass a state-approved cosmetology program before licensure.
Manicurists and pedicurists must complete a state-approved cosmetology or nail technician program and then pass a state exam for licensure.
Education
Manicurists and pedicurists must complete a state-approved cosmetology or nail technician program. These programs usually involve classroom and hands-on training. For a list of approved programs, contact your state licensing agency.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
State licensing requirements vary but usually include completing a state-approved cosmetology or nail technician program and passing a state exam. Applicants also may need to be at least 16 or 18 years old and have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Check with your state licensing agency for details.
Under state reciprocity agreements, licensed manicurists and pedicurists may be able to get a license in another state without needing to complete an additional program or to pass that state's exam.
Job Outlook
Employment of manicurists and pedicurists is projected to grow 9 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 25,500 openings for manicurists and pedicurists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
The projected increase in employment reflects demand for nail services, such as mini-sessions (quick manicures at a low cost) and mobile manicures and pedicures (nail services offered outside of the salon).
The desire among many women and a growing number of men to lead a healthier lifestyle through better grooming and wellness is expected to result in higher employment for manicurists and pedicurists.
Considered a low-cost luxury service, manicures and pedicures will continue to be in demand by individuals at all income levels.
Contacts for More Information
For information about manicurists and pedicurists, including cosmetology and nail technician schools and state licensing, visit
American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS)
National–Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC)
For information about other professional links, visit
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of manicurists and pedicurists.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Barbers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists |
Barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists provide haircutting, hairstyling, and other services related to personal appearance. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $33,400 |
|
Skincare Specialists |
Skincare specialists provide cleansing and other face and body treatments to enhance a person’s appearance. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $38,060 |